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I The Norwegian Farmers | 



in 



The United States 



By 



T. A. HOVERSTAD 




HANS JERVELL PUBLISHING CO. 
FARGO, N. DAK. 



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T. A. HOVERSTAD 

Author of the Article 
Agricultural Commissioner of Soo Line 



Mr. Hoverstad was the first student to enter the 
Minnesota School of Agriculture and the first gradu- 
ate of the Minnesota College of Agriculture. 

In 1906, he with Prof. J. J. Shaw, judged the 100 
farms in the J. J .Hill contest in Minnesota, North 
and South Dakota. 

From 1906 he was superintendent of the Farmers 
Institutes in North Dakota. The Dakota Farmer 
makes the following statement: "Superintendent T. 
A. Hoverstad of the North Dakota Farmers Institute 
has so long been connected with this and experimen- 
tation work in the northwest that bis name is per- 
haps sooner a household word in agricultural than 
that of any other single man similarly employed." 



The Norwegian Farmers 

in 

The United States 



BY T. A. HOVERSTAD 



ILLUSTRATED 



HANS JERVELL PUBLISHING CO. 
Fargo, North Dakota. 



.$ZHS 



Copyright 1915 

By Hans Jervell Publishing Co. 

Fargo, North Dakota. 



©CLA420330 

DEC 27 1915 




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TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

I. — The Norwegian Farmers in the United 
States. 

II. — The Norwegian Farmers in North Dakota. 

ni. — The Descendents of the Norwegian Emi- 
grants. 

IV.— Experience of the Norwegian Pioneer in 
America. 

V. — Departments of Farming. 

VI. — The Norwegian Farmers as Business Men. 

VII. — Norwegian Farmers as Mechanics. 

VIII. — The Norwegian Farmer and Natural 
Science. 

IX. — The Norwegians as Laborers. 

X. — The Character of the Norwegian Farmers. 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 

T. A. Hoverstad. 

From Agricultural College, Fargo, N. D. 

Fingal Enger, Hatton, N. D. — Pioneer, Steele 

County, N. D. 
Fingal Engers Farm, Hatton, N, D. 
Einar Hoel, Christine, N. D. — Pioneer, Richland 

County, N. D. 
Einar Hoels first home. 

P. O. Borderuds first house, Norman, N. D. 
M. Habberstads first house, Kindred, N. D. 
M. Habberstads farm. Kindred, N. D. 
John Bakkens first house, Milton, N. D. 
John Bakkens farm, Milton, N. D. 
Kristen K. Rensla, Towner, N. D. 
S. H. Nelsons first house, Cooperstown, N. D. 
S. H. Nelsons farm, Cooperstown, N. D. 
T. T. Vigesaa, Cooperstown, N. D. 
R. C. Aasen, Aneta, N. D. 
W. S. Christensen, Aneta, N. D. 
I, G. Gunderson, Aneta, N. D. 
Sven Ulsaker, Kindred, N. D. 
Agricultural School, Park Riyer, N. D. 
Senator M. N. Johnson, Petersburg, N. D. 
Senator A. J. Gronna, Lakota, N. D, 
Pioneers, Churches Ferry, N. D. 
Old Peoples Home, Northwood, N. D. 
P. N. Korsmo, Northwood, N. D. 
High School, Hatton, N. D. 




FINGAL ENGER, HATTON, N. D. 
Pioneer Steele County, N. D. 



I 



EINAR HOEL, CHRISTINE, N. D. 
Pioneer Richland County, N. D. 



0sten Pladsen, Hatton, N. D. — House built of 

trees he himself has planted. 
Gunder Stavens, Hatton, N. D. 
Andrew Stavens, Hatton, N. D. 

0. Eielsen, Hatton, N. D. 
M. Soliah, Hatton, N. D. 
Ivar Thompson, Hatton, N. D. 
Nicolai Berg, Hatton, N. D. 

1. L. Wambheim, Hatton, N. D. 
O. T. Andrews, Mayville, N. D. 
Mrs. Hans Johnson, Mayville, N. D. 
Ole S0nderland, Petersburg, N. D. 
J. K. Svee, Devils Lake, N. D. 

C. T. Studness, Churches Perry, N. D. 

Ole Leit, V/ebster, N. D. 

Hon. J. L. Hjorth, Reeder, N. D. 

Halvor Boe, Edmore, N. D. 

Knut R. Boe, Adams, N. D. 

Knut O. Nestegaard, Ramsey, N. D. 

Math. Gullicksen, Cando, IsT. D. 

John Steffensen, Reeder, N. D. 

L. J. Glomseth, Bottineau, N, D. 

G. Gundersen, Mohall, N. D. 

Henry Lee, Gsafton, N. D. 

Hans J. Grustad, Tunbridge, N. D. 

Sam Aandahl, Litchville, N. D. 

G. C. Bjone, Litchville, N. D. 

T. J. Gudmestad, Litchville, N. D. 

Ole Gilbertsen, Towner, N. D. 

Christ Moen, Bisbee, N. D. 

View from Fort Ransom, N. D. 

Jens S0rby, Fort Ransom, N. D. 

John Hendrickson, Fort Ransom, N. D. 



Nils Olsgaard, Kindred, N. D. 

Anton Dahlen, Kindred, N, D. 

Peter Trana, Kindred, N. D. 

Halvor Nelson, Kindred, N. D. 

Rustadfarm, Norman, N. D. 

B. C. Andersen, Hickson, N. D. — First Norwegian 

settler on farm, N. D. 
E. J. Stafne, Abercrombie, N. D. 
Science School, Wahpeton, N. D. 
Ibsen Bust, Science School, Wahpeton, N. D. 
Lutheran Bible School, Wahpeton, N. D. 
Indians. 

St. Lukes Hospital, Fargo, N. D. 
State Capitol, Bismarck, N. D. 
Enderlin, N. D. 
Goose River, near Mayville, N. D. 




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The Norwegian Farmers in The United 
States 

In 1910 there were in the United 
States 155,570 farmers, born in Norway, 
Sweden and Denmark. Of these 59,742 
were born in Norway, and more than 
ninety-nine per cent now Hve in the 
North Central States. Seventy per cent 
lives in the states of Minnesota, Wiscon- 
sin and North Dakota. Their distribu- 
tion in the three States are as follows: 
Minnesota 19,206, Wisconsin 11,485, and 
North Dakota 10,886. The only other 
states having more than 1000 foreign 
born Norwegian farmers are South Da- 
kota, with 5, 381, Iowa with 4, 614 and 
Washington 2,038. Montana doubtless 
has more than 1000 Norwegian born 
farmers now, as the influx has been very 
great the last three years. There were 
854 Norwegian born farmers in Montana 



8 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

in 1910. Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, 
Kansas, Texas, Wyoming, Colorado, 
Utah, Oregon and California have also 
quite a large number. The Canadian 
provinces have had a very large immi- 
gration from Norway, the last few years. 
It will be noted that these emigrants lo- 
cated almost wholly in the northern 
states having a climate resembling that 
of Norway. It is of interest to learn 
that Norway has given to the United 
States more farmers than any other Eu- 
ropean country except Germany and 
Sweden. The four European countries 
contributing the largest number of farm- 
ers are as follows: 

Germany 221,800 or 33.13 per cent 

Sweden 67,453 or 10.07 per cent 

Norway 59,742 or 8.92 per cent 

England 39,728 or 5.93 per cent 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 9 

The Norwegian Farmers in North 
Dakota. 

The total population in North Dako- 
ta is 577,056. Of these 156,157 or 27 
per cent, are foreign born. These are 
quite evenly distributed over the state. 
In six counties, out of forty-nine, more 
than 50 per cent, are foreign born, and in 
twenty-nine, more than 25 per cent. By 
far the largest number of foreign born 
farmers in North Dakota come from 
Norway. The countries contributing 
the largest number of farmers to the 
state are as follows : 

Norway 29.4 

Russia 20.4 

Germany 10.6 

Sweden 7.8 

Denmark 3.4 

If we add together the number of 
foreign born and also the descendants 
having one or both parents of foreign 
birth we have the following percentages : 



10 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

Norway 30.3 per cent. 

Russia 15.3 per cent. 

Germany 14.7 per cent. 

Sweden 6.6 per cent. 

Denmark 3.10 per cent 

The rate of increase in population in 
North Dakota the past ten years is very- 
large. Statistics show this increase to 
be about 80 per cent. This is almost 
four times the rate of increase of the 
United States. In spite of this great 
growth of population the state is yet 
only one person to every 87 acres of land 
in the state. The Norwegians went into 
the country districts to becomes farmers. 
Many were at first farm laborers and be- 
came farmers later. The number that 
went on to farms is very much larger 
than those that located in the cities. 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. H 

The Descendents of the Norwegian 
Emigrants. 

There are no available figures at 
hand from the census of 1910 to show the 
relatiave percentage of the second gen- 
eration of Norwegians that Hve on the 
farms. The census of 1900 shows that 63 
percent of the second generation live in 
rural communities. This is an increase 
of more than 13 per cent, over the first 
generation. From the data at hand it 
is hard to give satisfactory explanation 
of these figures. They indicate, how- 
ever, that there is not among the young 
people an increasing tendency to move 
from the country to the city. There is 
a larger percentage of farmers in the 
second generation, that is, the children 
of Norwegian emigrants, than that of 
the second generation of any other na- 
tionality. The percentages for each na- 
tionality are as follows: 



12 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

Norwegians 54.3 per cent. 

Danes 44.0 per cent. 

Swiss 39.3 per cent. 

Bohemians 35.4 per cent. 

Swedes 32.6 per cent. 

Germans 28.0 per cent. 

Canadian (English) _ 26.2 per cent. 

French 24.6 per cent. 

English and Welsh- _ 22.3 per cent. 

Scotch 21.1 per cent. 

Canadian (French) __ 16.7 per cent. 

Irish 15.3 per cent. 

Poles 12.2 per cent. 

Russians 11.5 per cent. 

Austrians 9.6 per cent. 

Italians 6.2 per cent. 

Hungarians 3.5 per cent. 

The Norwegians came first to south- 
ern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois. As 
the lands settled westward the immi- 
grants followed the moving frontier in- 
to Iowa and Minnesota, North and South 
Dakota and they are now moving into 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 13 

Montana, the coast states, and Western 
Canada. The tendency at present is to 
settle in the newer sections of North Da- 
kota, Northern Minnesota and Northern 
Wisconsin. The sons of the Norwegian 
emigrants, as a rule, remained on the 
fathers farm, got a farm in the neighbor- 
hood or moved to get a farm on the new 
land on the frontier. It shows that the 
love of country life did not disappear 
with the first generation. 



Experiences of the Norwegian Pioneer 
in America. 

The early pioneers who came to Am- 
erica had to endure many unpleasant ex- 
periences. They had to go through all 
the experiences of pioneer life. In the 
developmnt of any new country there are 
five stages the pioneers have to go 
through. The Norwegians have gone 
through all these five stages in the devel- 



14 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

opment of the Northwest. The first 
stage is the "Savage stage." In Am- 
erica, the savage that the pioneer had to 
meet, was the Indian. A complete re- 
cord of the emigrants' encounter with the 
Indians would make very thrilling his- 
tory. Kindness, rather than hostility, 
characterized their attitude toward the 
aboriginees. The Indians were steadily 
pushed westward and the emigrants fol- 
lowed and commenced to make homes. 
The farmers had to organize for self de- 
fence frequently in the early settlements. 
The second state is the "hunting and 
trapping stage.'' In the Northwest the 
game hunted was mainly the buffalo, but 
there were also smaller herds of ante- 
lopes, deer, and moose. The number of 
buffalos that were killed by the early 
emigrants is very great. It was carried 
on to such an extent that the buffalos be- 
came almost extinct. This stage took 
place while the country was in charge of 
the savages. The hunter lived from the 




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NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 15 

same game like the savages did. The 
change of the country in the two stages 
was that the white hunter took the place 
of the savage hunter, the food remaining 
the same. 

The third stage is the "ranching 
stage." Here the inhabitant remains 
the same as in the hunting stage but the 
food changes. As the buffalo, antelope 
and other game decreased the rancher 
brought in the domestic cattle, sheep and 
horses to occupy the country where the 
game had disappeared. North Dakota 
and Montana were famous ranch terri- 
tories. The short buffalo grass cured 
on the plains. It could be grazed winter 
and summer. It was very nutritious. 
The ranch cattle were sent to the market 
in the best market condition even if there 
had never been a pound of grain given 
them or having been housed a day. 
Great fortunes were made in ranching. 
This stage is disappearing. Only a few 
ranches now remain on the plains. The 



16 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

Norwegians had their share in the ranch- 
ing stage of the western frontier. 

The fourth stage is the "bonanza 
farming stage." The ranching stage 
can continue only when the land area is 
very large and the population sparse. 
As population becomes more dense the 
rancher must give place to the farmer. 
The land must be made to produce more 
than the native grass does, and there 
must also be a variety in the products. 
The bonanza farming stage differs from 
the ranching stage preceding in this, that 
the native grass and the stock disappear, 
and in its place develops great fields of 
grain. The land is plowed in large fields, 
big machinery is used, and everything is 
done on a large scale. Only one, or very 
few crops are raised. This stage is 
somewhat brief. It is an exploiting sys- 
tem of farming. The bonanza farmer 
tries to get everything possible out of the 
land at the very least expense. Some 
Norwegians were very prominent bonan- 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 17 

za farmers and many of the emigrants 
were employed as laborels on such large 
farms. This stage of farming has large- 
ly disappeared from the United States. 
The fifth and last stage is that of 
the "small farm," where the area is us- 
ually limited to the am.ount that a farm- 
er and his family can work without much 
extra help. Besides growing grain the 
farmer grows a variety of crops so there 
is a succession of production through the 
season. He also stocks his farm with 
all the necessary domestic animals. Per- 
manent homes are built and the elements 
of permanency and stability appear. 
Churches and schools are developed, road 
and bridges constructed. Cities and( 
towns begin to dot the country. Rail- 
roading and manufacturing develop. A 
permanent civilization is established. It 
is in this last stage of the five that the 
Norwegian emigrants took most active 
part. There was enough of the Viking 
blood left in the early emigrants to en- 



18 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

joy the hunting stage among the savage 
tribes, but the great bulk preferred the 
quiet self-supporting, independent home 
on the land in the neighborhood where 
there could be companionship and co-op- 
eration in work, worship, and life. 



The Departments of Farming. 

Farming is a complex organization 
of interlocking enterprises. A careful 
analysis will show that farming may be 
divided into several departments. The 
farmers' activities can be put into sev- 
eral groups. The farmer must be a busi- 
ness man. Buying and selling are con^ 
stant activities. He must be a mechanic. 
It is only primitive man that works the 
land without tools or machinery. He 
must be a student of the phenomena of 
plant and animal life. The man who 
does not understand the fundamental 
laws of biology can not succeed in farm- 
ing. He must be a skilled laborer. To* 



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NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 19 

farm by **main strength and awkward- 
ness" is a thing of the past. He must be 
an executive and know how to organize 
his work to the best advantage. Any 
farm operator who fails in any of the 
above activities is lowering his chances 
for success. How the Norwegians have 
succeeded or failed, their own records 
show. 



The Norwegian Farmers as Busi- 
ness Men. 

The farmer has to transact business 
constantly. If he can not obtain a home- 
stead he must buy and pay for his land. 
He must purchase material for building 
and fences. His bills for machinery 
every year amounts to a great deal. He 
must pay for labor and the commodities 
he needs for his farm and family. He 
must sell the surplus commodities he pro- 
duces on the farm. If he has any cash, 



20 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

after the years business is done, he must 
invest it in interest bearing securities. 
It will be seen that the amount of busi- 
ness each farmer transacts in a year, 
while not so very great, is still enough to 
require some business talent. 

How have the Norwegians transact- 
ed their farm business? Most of them 
came from the mother country rather 
poor in money. What they did have, they 
earned by hard labor. They therefore 
had learned the value of the dollar. They 
had learned how to save their earnings. 
Economy had become a habit with the 
large majority. When farming com- 
menced every dollar saved was needed. 
Borrowing money was avoided as much 
as possible. Paying interest was done 
only when very necessary. The mort- 
gage was paid off as soon as possible. 
As a result of this spirit of care and econ- 
omy, 3477 farms belonging to Norweg- 
ians of first generations in North Dako- 
ta were free from mortgages in 1910, and 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 21 

a large number of the remainder had on- 
ly small indebtedness. Out of the total 
of 10,886 Norwegian farm operators in 
North Dakota, 9,562 own their lands. 
When we consider how few years most of 
the settlers have been in North Dakota, 
this record is very excellent. Compara- 
tively few Norwegians borrow money to 
speculate with. Many borrow money to 
buy land to hold until the children grow 
up so they can have homes of their own. 
In planning fheir farm operations 
the first consideration was to raise the 
crops that would bring the highest re- 
numeration. In planning buildings, 
fences, and other structures the thing 
that could be used to bring revenue was 
the first considered. Any expensive orn- 
amental dwelling house was not erected 
until the necessary things were provided. 
In short, utility and remuneration stood 
out prominent in planning their farm 
business. 

Exceptions from this principle is 



22 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

more common now than formerly. The 
opportunities for profits in speculative 
enterprises have made many less cau- 
tious of non-interest bearing securities 
and low, many look more to profit from 
wisely or cleverly handled capital. 



Norwegian Farmers as Mechanics. 

A farmer must, to a certain extent, 
be a mechanic. He has to build fences 
and bridges, and repair machinery and 
buildings. He uses machinery in nearly 
all enterprises on his farm involving la- 
bor. Carpenter and blacksmith tools are 
invaluable on the farm. The village 
blacksmith is not as common now as they 
used to be. Time, is also beginning to be 
such a great factor that even though the 
blacksmith's bill would not be very great, 
the time spent in going to and from the 
shop is becoming an important item. 
Each farmer has either a farm shop or 
some place where he can do a great deal 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 23 

of his repair work. The Norwegians 
have always been skilled in handicraft. 
His income in the mother country was so 
low he could not purchase factory made 
goods. For generations past the peasant 
had to work in wood, iron, and stone un- 
til skill has become a national trait. The 
skill in the use of machinery and tools 
has been to him a great asset. Techni- 
cal training in shop work is now given in 
our schools and greater skill is expected 
to develop. 



The Norwegian Farmer and Natural 
Science. 

The farmer has to do with soils, crop, 
animals, climate, water, etc. The suc- 
cess of the farmer is, in a measure, de- 
termined by the application of natural 
science to the material with which he 
deals. No farmer can comprehend fully 
all there is to any one department of 
farm life, let alone understanding them 



24 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. 8. 

all, but he can and must understand 
enough of each so he can operate each de- 
partment of his farm intelligently. 

The Norwegian farmers have stud-^ 
ied the different departments of his work 
carefully. The working of the soil and 
the development of the various farm 
crops have been given careful considera- 
tion. The relation of climate to crops, — 
the relation of crops to the soil, — the re- 
lation of crops to market, etc., have all 
been considered in planning the farm. 

The Norwegians are good dairymen. 
The Norwegians in the old country have 
always had dairy herds. Thy have taken 
intelligent hold of this industry in their 
adopted country. No class of farming is 
more sure of future success than dairy- 
ing intelligently conducted. When one 
considers the influence dairying has had 
in developing the Northwest, and what 
proportion the Norwegians have contri- 



NORWEGIAN PARMERB IN U. S. 25 

buted, we can begin to appreciate their 
influence. The Norwegians have studied 
dairying more than any other live stock 
industry. The growing of farm crops^ 
have been given deep study. To succeed 
with an enterprise like crop growing, 
whose success depends almost wholly to 
agencies outside ones control, can not be 
done without strenuous thought and in- 
telligent planning. 



The Norwegians as Laborers. 

The farmer who is to be a success 
must, in nine cases out of ten, be a labor- 
er. To operate a farm with hired labor 
entirely has been, and doubtless will con- 
tinue to be, very difficult. Farming is 
a family enterprise. The size of land 
.that the family can take care of without 
hired help is most sure to bring success. 
The Norwegians have always been very 
industrious. In Norway farm land is of- 
ten poor owing to the mountainous- char- 



26 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

acter of the country. Cautiousness In 
employing help was necessary. Big la- 
bor bills could not be paid. Each farmer 
had to work. This established the habit 
of industry. This has become inherent 
in the very fibre of the race. The farmer 
who has the skill and the willingness to 
work has a great asset. 

Norway is located in the far north. 
The winters are cold. The summers are 
not very warm. A part of the population 
live by fishing. Hard work, outdoor life, 
and simple home grown food, together 
with a quiet temperate life, has given 
them a strong constitution. This consti- 
tution and willingness to work has made 
them great laborers. In industrial pur- 
suits they are much sought after by em- 
ployers. 

Another factor in giving them in- 
dustrious habit is the mode of rearing 
the children. The early education was 
largely provided by the parents. The 
companionship of the son with the father 




I 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 27 

and the daughter with her mother has 
given the young growing children an op- 
portunity of mutual service and co-op- 
eration. This gave the children habits of 
industry from early Hfe. The boy likes 
to do a man's job. A girl likes to do a 
woman's work. 

Another factor that has made the 
Norwegians industrious is their religious 
training. Not only did they have relig- 
ious services in the homes, but religion 
was taught as a regular study in the 
schools. Industry is one of the virtues 
that is always held in high esteem by the 
church. During the last thirty years of 
the past century, there was not much 
profit in farming, if the increase in land 
values are eliminated. The use of labor 
saving machinery had not been so much 
introduced. Those farmers who depend- 
ed on hired help worked at a disadvan- 
tage. Those races that had the habit of 
work were truly fortunate. The large 
percentages of success of the Norweg- 



28 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

ians are in great measure, due to their 
habits of industry. 



The Character of the Norwegian 
Farmers. 

The Norwegian farmers have been 
honest. They have preferred to "earn" 
their living rather than to "make" their 
living. To get a living from the sweat 
of the brow of other people has not ap- 
pealed to them. There are dishonest peo- 
ple among the Norwegians. But as a 
class they rank well in business honesty. 

They have paid their mortgage ob- 
ligations promptly. They have not tried 
to live beyond their means, thereby tax 
their resources for unnecessaries. The 
one virtue more to be appreciated more 
than any other is the honesty of the peo- 
ple. It is hoped that the habits of in- 
dustry will continue to be a trait to be 
preserved in the Norwegian character. 
The Norwegians who came to America, 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 29 

came to improve their condition and to 
remain loyal, law abiding citizens in their 
adopted country. They were country peo- 
ple in the old country. They moved onto 
farms in this land. They intended to 
make homes for themselves and their 
children on their farm. When they filed 
on homesteads it was a bona-fide inten- 
tion of making them their homes. They 
did not plan to get the land and hold it 
until deeded, and then sell out. Neither 
do they move to the cities when they be- 
come so financed that they can do so. The 
farm was the place intended for the per- 
manent abode and not a stepping stone to 
something else. The emigrants came to 
stay on the land. Their children remain 
on their lands after them. It is a very 
common experience for the father to 
deed his land to his son. The second gen- 
eration remains on the farms and make 
just as much success in farming as their 
fathers did. The sons and daughters of 
the Norwegian emigrants frequent the 



30 NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 

agricultural schools and colleges. They 
make good records. They are very often 
among the honor students. They are as 
a class highly respected. They go into 
agricultural pursuits rather than busi- 
ness and the professions. 

The Norwegian emigrants that came 
to the Northwest have made a splendid 
record. Norway can be proud of "Det 
Udvandrede Norge." In North Dakota 
alone they operate between four and five 
million acres of land valued at about 
$150,000,000.00 and the value of build- 
ings, machinery, stock, etc., will be worth 
fully the same amount, making the val- 
ue of the property so operated by the 
Norwegians in North Dakota worth at 
least $300,000,000.00. They contribute 
liberally to the support of churches and 
schools, to charity and benevolences, to 
the state and the government. The best 
we can say about a man is he is a good 
citizen. This can be said about the Nor- 
wegian-American farmer. 



NORWEGIAN FARMERS IN U. S. 31 

The Norwegians become good Am- 
ericans but they do not forget their 
mother country. The Norwegian insti- 
tutions have been transplanted onto the 
American soil. The history and tradi- 
tions are being preserved. Norwegian 
culture and art will be preserved in this 
country. There rests now one obligation 
for the Norwegian-Americans and that is 
to determine what they can do for the 
country of their forefathers. Norway 
gave to America her sons and daughters, 
the most valuable and precious gift she 
could give. The Exposition of 1914 will 
famiharize the "Udvandrede Norge'' 
with old Norway. There will develop a 
consciousness that there should be recip- 
rocal services between the two countries. 
Talent, money, and services can be dir- 
ected to help to devlop the resources of 
the old country for mutual benefit of 
Norwegians in Norway and their decen- 
dents in their adopted land. 



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